Shoe



Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOAQUIN'VRAMOS ROA, 0F MEXICO, MEXICO. i

SHOE.

Application filed September 27, 1922. Serial No. 590,928.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOAQUIN RAMOS Ron, a citizen of the Republic of Mexico, residing at Mexico, I). F., Mexico, have invented certain new and luseful Improvements in Slices, of which the following is a specifica.-

tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to shoes, and parl0 ticularly to metal shoes.

The general object of theinvention is to provide a metal shoe which shall have sufficient strength and rigidity but which shall have the sole and upper so constructed that the sole of the shoe may be bent at a point coincident with the second joint ol the big toe or knuckle of the foot whereby to permit the foot to have all natural movements which are necessary to its pro-per functioning.

A further object is to so construct the shoe that the sole is formed in two sections hinged to each other on a'linebeneath the second joint of the big toe, this hingebeing ot such construction that it will permit the bending or hinged movement of the two sections of the sole in one direction but will prevent any movement of the sole in l.the other direction beyond a predetermined point, and to so construct the upper that it will permit this movement of the sole.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description. x

My 'invention is illustrated in Jche aecompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation ot a shoe constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is an under side plan view of a shoe having a sectional hinged sole;

Figure 3 is a detail section through the hinged portion of the sole and a part of the upper;

Figure l is a like view to Figure 3, but showing a modification of the `means for hinging the two sections of the sole to each other.

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that I have illustrated a low shoe of ordinary construction, though I do not wish to be limited to the use of my invention in a low shoe, as the invention might be used on high shoes, slippers oi' sandals. The upper and counter 10 of the shoe are to be constructed in any suitable manner of metal, or metal alloy. lThe upper forward of the counter is 'formed in two sections 11 and 12 separated from each other by a space 13, the edges ofthe two sections 11 and l2 defining the space 13 being downwardly convergent. The sole of the shoe may be formed of aluminum of any desired thickness or of any other Vsuitable metal and, as illustrated in Figure 1, this sole lt is formed of one piece of relatively flexible metal so that the shoe will bend at the point iinmediately below the space 13.

In Figure 2, I have shown a sole which is formed in two sections 15 and 15, these sections being relatively rigid but being connected by a hinged joint disposed immediately beneath the lower end of the opening' i 13, the hinged joint extending entirely across the sole.

I have shown the two sections as being 'formed with interdentated portions 16 though which passes a pintle 17. The adj acent edges of these portions are beveled, as at 18, so that the teethor lugs on one seotion will ht beneath the overhanging portion of the next adjacent section. Thus these two sect-ions 15 and 15a can move upward relative to each other but are limited in their downward movement to a position in the same plane. I do not wish to be limited to this manner of making the hinge, as it is-.obvious that, as illustrated in Figure el, a strip 19 may constitute the hinge and be welded, riveted or otherwise connected to the sections .14 and 15. The instep 20 is of thin, rigid metal and the heel 21 may be of any suitable construction, though it is prei"- erably an elastic heel.

As before remarked, the hinge, whether this hinge is formed of interdentated strips connected by a pintle or by weakening the metal at a point beneath the lower end o' the space 13 or in any other way, is disposed transversely of the solei of Athe shoe on a line coincident with the second joint ot the big toe, and inasmuch as the space 13 has its lower end located at this point, it is obvious that the Yfoot can flex at the second joint of the big toe in the usual manner, the two sections of the upper moving toward each other at this time. This permits the lit? foot to have all the usual or natural movements incident to walking, dancing, running or other exercise.

The metal body of the shoe will prefer'- ably be made of thin aluminum or any other metal or alloy, but the shoe may be even made of wood or other rigid material. The body may be covered inside or outside with leather, cloth or other suitable material 22 or not covered if desired. T he bodies of the shoes may be sold to manufacturers to be covered by them, or these shoes may be left uncovered and painted, enameled or otherwise decorated. Every part ofthe shoe isi rigid except where the sole is hinged or otherwise made flexible to let the sole flexv in walking.. It is obvious that the shoe may be of `any ornamental form or material and that minor modifications might be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim l. A shoe comprising a sole formed of sections hingedly connected along a line at the ball of the foot whereby the forwardmost section will be capable of upward swinging with. respect" to the rearm'ost section, and a metal upper including: rear portion carried by the rear section.` of" the sole and having its forward edge terminating at the hinge oint and inclined upwardly and rearwardly, theV upper' further including a toe portion carried by t-he forward section of the sole with: its rear edge terminating at the hinge joint and inclined up'- wa-rdly and forwardly, the inclination of! the adjacent endsof the portions; of the upper defining a V-shaped opening between the portions, and' a stripy of flexible material secured within the upper and' overlapping the V-shaped opening' between the end-s thereof, said inclined edges being adapted? to abuttingly engage for limiting upward: swinging movement of the sole sections with' respect to each other.

2. A shoe having an upper constructed of metal and a sole formed of metallic sections joined at a line transversely beneath the ball portion of the shoe, the upper being cut away at a point above the joint between the sole sections, the edges of said cut away portion converging downwardly, engagement of said edges limiting upward fiexing movement of the sole, the joint between the sole sections consisting of a plurality of interfitting teeth and a pintle passing through all the teeth, the upper edges of the teeth being beveled and the portions of the sole sections engaged by the teeth being correspondingly beveled, the coacting beveled surfaces operating to prevent downward fiexing of the sole to a position beyond that in which both sole sections will lie in the' same' plane.

A shoe of the character described comprising a sole formed inl two sections, the joint between said sections ext-ending transversely across the sole at a point approximately beneath the second oint of the big toe, the' sections being. operatively hinged to' each other for upward movement but hav- Aing limited downward movement to a position: where the'sections are in the same plane, the upper being cut away immediately above said hinged joint, said cut away portion being. relatively wide at the top of the shoe and converging downward to the joint.

4. A. shoe of the character described comprising a sole formed in two sections, the joint between said sections extending transversely across the' sole at a point approx-imately beneath the second' joint of the big toer, the adjacent edges of the sections` being .formecl to provide interfitti-ngy interdentated portions, the' confronting edges ofthe sole' atv sai'dl interdentated portions being com-plementarily beveled, and a pintle extei'idingthrough said interdentatedr portions l In testimony whereof I hereunto adir; my

signature.

JoaoUiN nAMos non. 

